Cohort: Legacy of Inuyasha
by Wolf Blossom
Summary: Kagome finds herself caught up in the world of the Cohort, a band of villainous do-gooders that interrupt organized crime to spread the wealth amongst hometown locals. Although Kagome is intrigued by both the Cohort and their second-in-command, Inuyasha, she doesn't hesitate in concocting a plan to permanently disband the group... and eliminate Inuyasha once and for all.
1. I

"You can't leave _now_, Kagome."

Chocolate doe eyes flickered to lock with concerned amber ones. The sun had just finishing dipping past the horizon, and that only meant nighttime was just around the corner. And nighttime only meant one thing: danger. All residents of the small port town of Goshinboku knew that, but many denizens were none the wiser.

Kagome Higurashi, resident yoga instructor, just happened to be one of those denizens.

"I can't just _stay_ at the studio, Sango." Kagome sighed whilst pushing herself off the flimsy welcome desk if their small studio. The sun was barely visible past the horizon, casting fading hues of orange and red to paint the skies; it would only be a matter of moments before darkness blanketed the town, and the dangers of the night emerged.

Sango's worries were not in vain. A group of villainous do-gooders owned the streets of Goshinboku past sundown, confining every resident to remain in the safety of their homes.

_Ruthless_.

That would be the correct word to describe the band of 'anti-heroes'. For decades, their kind operated some kind of underground business that not only enhanced Goshinboku's economy, but also hindered it. A paradox, in and of itself, but nobody had the audacity to complain. The 'anti-heroes' proved to be villainous modern day Robin Hoods – they stole from organized crimes across the country and distributed the wealth to hometown locals of Japan. They weren't immune to bloodshed, however, and didn't hesitate to spill blood

They were a curse as much as they were a blessing.

Despite knowing the risk of daring to step onto the streets of Goshinboku past dusk, Kagome insisted on leaving the safety of the yoga studio. Sango watched with wary eyes as Kagome retrieved her yoga mat bag and her large tote.

"Come on, Gome…" Sango was hoping that the usage of Kagome's childhood nickname would be enough to persuade her, but she was wrong. Kagome was the very definition of stubborn; it was by sheer dumb luck that she was still alive. The girl constantly dared to leave the safety of indoors after the sun set.

"I'll text you when I get home." With a quick hug and kiss to her friend's cheek, Kagome walked out of the studio while wrapping her waist-length hair into a loose bun. Sango watched with sullen eyes; _why do I have such a bad feeling?_

With a heavy sigh, Sango dragged her feet to the front door and turned the lock. She wasn't as brave as her friend and would spend the night at the yoga studio. It was for situations like the very one that she was in that the owner of the studio set up a basement apartment for his instructors. Sango shot a quick text to Mushin Fujimoto, the owner, that she would be staying the night.

Within seconds of sending the message, he replied.

_And Kagome?_

Sango chewed on her lower lip, her blond locks beginning to free from her messy bun. Mushin was an older man and was extremely protective of his 'girls'. He never had any children so the five ladies that worked at his studio doubled as the daughters he never had.

_She left…_

Sango knew as soon as she hit 'send' that Mushin would be extremely upset. And rightfully so! Nobody – **nobody** left the sanctuary of the indoors when nightfall blanketed their town. _What the hell was I thinking when I let her go?!_

Just as she expected, Mushin's response came. Curt. Disappointed.

_I wouldn't expect that from you._

Swallowing back tears, Sango allowed her shoulders to slump. _I should've tried harder to keep her here._ Knowing that her efforts were in vain, Sango still allowed herself to walk up to the glass doors of the studio and peer outside, hoping to catch the outline of Kagome's petit figure. Just as she thought, Kagome was long gone. Apart from being one of the most tenured yoga instructors, Kagome loved running and could outpace most of the residents in Goshinboku.

_All this time I wasted brooding, Kagome's probably halfway home._ Needing to take her frustration out, Sango kicked an upturned bucket beside the welcome desk and sent it crashing against the back wall. _If anything happens to her, it's all my fault._

* * *

By the time Kagome was halfway home, darkness enveloped her. Though the streetlights provided some illumination, it wasn't enough to give her solace. In fact, the streetlights, including the one that flickered in the distance, sent a shiver to course up Kagome's spine. She sprinted home a number of nights after nightfall, but never did she feel so wary…

Deciding to pick up her pace, Kagome broke into a full sprint. Somewhere around her she heard a tin garbage can rolling but she didn't pause. Her destination was set: _get to my apartment._ It was as if she had horse blinders on; Kagome saw nothing else but her destination. She thought of nothing else but her destination.

Everything whizzed past her. There was a break in her concentration and she noticed that Totosai Pairo, the owner of the twenty-four hour convenient store, removed a _Be Back Soon_ sign from his door and something compelled her to reroute to the convenient store. The streets were eerily quiet and if living alone taught Kagome anything, it was to trust her gut instinct.

With a quick pivot of her left foot, Kagome changed coursed and within seconds was inside of the safety of Totosai's shop. The elderly man, with cotton white hair and crow's feet crinkling by his eyes, looked at Kagome with surprise.

"Kagome? Sweetheart, what are you doing out so late?"

Kagome's heart was pounding. She glanced over her shoulder but saw that the streets were empty. _What else was I expecting?_ But the feeling that was gnawing in the pit of her stomach wasn't going away. Shoulders slouched, Kagome walked up to the cash register where Totosai was leaning against.

"I left the studio late, Pairo-san." The one nice thing about Goshinboku was that it was a small town, and that meant everybody knew everyone… a tightknit community only ever meant two things: constant safety and constant interruption. At that moment, Kagome was grateful for the former.

"Doesn't Mushin have the basement set up for you girls?"

Kagome nodded as she dropped her tote bag and yoga mat bag. "He does. I just… wanted to get home."

Totosai frowned, the wrinkles in his face deepening with the expression. "We've been through this before, Kagome. Hell, many of the other residents have told you time and time again: do **n****ot** leave if your class runs late."

"We have, yes, but that doesn't mean I'm going to listen." Kagome tried to laugh, but her heart was still racing for some reason. The daunting feeling that followed her during her sprint wasn't going away, and that was making her feel extremely uneasy.

"Sweetheart," Totosai pulled a granola bar from under his counter and slid it to Kagome. "You can't keep testing your luck. One of these days you'll be caught in a dangerous situation… the Cohort are merciless."

_Cohort_… the name in which the anti-heroes operated. Fitting, Kagome frequently thought, as _cohort_ also translated to an ancient Roman military unit. Ironic, though, seeing as the Roman military fought for their country whereas the Cohort's intentions were unclear.

"I haven't been shot yet."

Totosai snorted. "Kagome, with how you dance with lady Fate, I'd say your luck just _may_ be running dry. Come, sweetheart, I have a small apartment upstairs that you can rest for the night."

Kagome studied Totosai before glancing outside once more. It would make logical sense to take up Totosai's offer… it was very late, even for Kagome's standards, and leaving now would definitely end her lucky streak of not running into the Cohort. Defeated, Kagome picked up her tote bag and yoga mat bag.

"I'll drop my things upstairs and watch the shop for you as you rest, okay?"

Totosai seemed taken aback. "Sweetheart you don't—"

"Pairo-san," Kagome interrupted. "I know that you don't take breaks all night. Take a nap; let me watch the shop for a bit now that I'm here."

"Well, if that's what'll take for you to stay indoors, then fine." Totosai was beaming and Kagome couldn't help but smile. He was the grandparent figure she never had. "Pass me your things; I'll take them upstairs for you. You can snack on and drink whatever your heart wants—consider it your paycheck."

Kagome laughed as Totosai winked at her before taking her things and disappearing behind a flapping door. Now that she was alone, Kagome couldn't help but sigh. She walked around the counter and unceremoniously plopped onto the barstool that was tucked under the counter. She was familiar with the convenient store, having worked there as a part-time job when she was finishing her courses to become a licensed yoga instructor.

_Besides, nobody's coming in tonight. Nobody comes in _any_ night._ Yet Totosai kept the shop open for twenty-four hours. Nobody in Goshinboku understood why, but nobody questioned it. It was Totosai Pairo's store, after all.

Kagome pulled out her MP3 player from the pocket of her mesh jacket and put one earbud in. With music filling her senses, she picked a book from the small collection Totosai kept behind the counter. Wiggling her butt enough to get comfortable, Kagome propped a leg up on one of the shelves under the cash register and immersed in a world of folklore, demons, and an enchanted wish granting jewel.

* * *

The dinging of the front door broke Kagome out of her spell. She slammed the book shut and quickly glanced at the small clock beside the register – _1:30 am _– before looking up to greet the patron.

It was as if all the warmth in the room was gone. The _patron_, a tall brooding individual with the starkest ochre eyes Kagome had ever seen, sauntered in while gripping his right arm. His _bleeding_ right arm. Involuntarily, Kagome took a step back and looked between his face – his lips set into a firm thin line and his eyebrows furrowed – and his bleeding arm.

"Ohmigod!" Kagome exclaimed, pulling the first aid kit from under the register and coming around to meet the patron halfway. His eyes flickered to the red and white box before returning his gaze back to Kagome's eyes.

"Water…" He rasped, the hold on his arm tightening. Kagome dropped the first aid kit and ran to one of the fridges at the back of the store. She grabbed a litre bottle of water and hurried back to where the man was standing, leaning his bodyweight against the counter.

"Open," he shoved the water bottle back at her. Kagome fumbled as she tried to spin the cap off.

_Duh, idiot! His freaking arm is bleeding, he probably can't use it!_ _How did I expect him to open the bottle himself. Ugh!_

As he guzzled the contents of the bottle, Kagome retrieved the first aid kit from the floor and quickly flipped it open, pulling out antiseptic spray and some gauze. She glanced at him, unsure if she was allowed to bandage his arm. His ochre eyes caught hers and he, slowly, pulled the bottle away from his mouth and wiped away some droplets with the back of his hand. Wordlessly, he managed to peel off the leather jacket he was wearing to expose his bare arms. Kagome couldn't help but gasp when she saw the severity of the wound.

"Can you handle gunshot wounds?"

His voice was husky. Raspy. If whiskey had a sound, it would be _that_.

_Can I… WHAT?! _Kagome hid the fear, confusion, and surprise that reigned chaos in her mind. Her hands were shaking as she placed the kit on top of the counter.

"I've never… I mean I…"

Kagome couldn't form a coherent sentence even if she tried. She was scared _mindless_—why was there a bleeding individual in Totosai's store?! The patron glanced around briefly before returning his gaze to Kagome.

"Where's Totosai?"

_He knows Totosai?!_

"Err… taking a nap." Kagome said her voice tight. _Is it me, or is there no oxygen in this damn shop!_ Her heart was pounding so viciously that she was almost certain that the man standing not even a foot from where she stood could hear it.

He nodded curtly before using his head to gesture at the kit. "Get the tweezers out, then."

"What?!" Kagome all but screamed. His eyes narrowed, but he repeated what he said. Only slower. Lethally.

"Get the tweezers out."

Fumbling, Kagome managed to open the kit again and find the tweezers hiding behind the box of adhesive bandages. Her hands were shaking, and she didn't try to hide it—Kagome had never been so frightened before in her life. When she was able to retrieve the tweezers and disinfect it with the antiseptic spray, she looked hesitantly up at her _patient_.

"I've never done this before…"

"Which is why I needed Totosai," he grunted. "But as he's not _here_, you will do. You need steady hands, lady."

Kagome wanted to feel insulted that he called her lady, but her body had no room for any other emotion. She was bouncing between fear and confusion so quickly that Kagome was positive she'd pass out any second.

"How did—"

"No questions. Fish the bullet out." Kagome was unsure if it was anger or pain that caused the man to clench his teeth, but she didn't want to find out in any case. Holding her hand as steady as she could, she braced herself by holding his forearm with her left hand as her right inched towards the bullet impaled in his bicep.

"Lady, if you can get that out _tonight_, I'd appreciate it."

Kagome told herself not to feel upset. The guy had a bullet lodged in his arm and was patiently waiting for a novice to fish it out—he had more guts than she did, that was for sure.

"Sorry, I'm nervous."

"You cannot fuck me up any more than I am right now." She knew he meant it as reassurance, but he sounded anything _but_ reassuring.

The tweezer was just a hairsbreadth away from his wound when a clatter broke Kagome's concentration. As fast as lightning, the patron pulled a gun out from nowhere and pointed at the flapping door that Totosai had disappeared behind earlier. Within seconds, Totosai emerged and the patron dropped his gun, shoulders sagging and a sigh of relief escaping his lips.

The older man's eyes were furrowed. "Inuyasha?! What are you doing here… Kagome, what are _you_ doing?!"

Kagome glanced at the man – _Inuyasha _– before looking at the tweezers she gripped in her hand. "He uh…"

"I was shot, Totosai." Inuyasha grunted. "I came here and your ass was taking a nap. The _nice _lady was going to _try_ and fix me up." Kagome didn't miss the sarcastic way he said the words 'nice' and 'try'. She wanted to spit in his face that the least he could be was grateful, but decided to not test her luck. Kagome had a _sneaking_ suspicion that the one named Inuyasha was probably not a friendly neighbourhood passerby.

"Get over here, boy. Kagome, lock the door and pull down the gates."

Kagome gawked as Inuyasha and Totosai passed through the flapping doors, ascending the rickety staircase with loud creaks. _Nothing _made sense to Kagome, but she decided not to dwell on it for too long. She turned her attention to the entrance door of the convenient store; Totosai never shut shop, but he had asked Kagome to lock up. The unsettling feeling from earlier returned. A feeling which Kagome didn't even realize was _gone_.

Kagome turned the lock and went to grab a set of dangling chain links on the left side of the two floor-to-ceiling windows that sandwiched the main door. Kagome began to pull on the chain, bringing down metal gates that resembled a garage door. The gates were originally installed when Totosai wasn't a twenty-four hour convenient store… an era before Kagome was even born. Apparently it was to prevent break-in robberies. She had never seen them dropped in her entire lifetime, even when she worked for him.

When she was sure the left gate was secure, Kagome moved to the right side to repeat the same movement. When the gate was halfway down, Kagome began to slow… frowning, she stepped closer to the window to peer at what she _thought_ was a little girl skipping through the streets.

"What the—hey!" Kagome unlocked the door to peek her head out. "What are you doing out there!"

The little girl looked up and Kagome shrieked. It wasn't a little girl at all… it was a grotesque human being with contoured features and disheveled white hair. Thundering pounding of two sets of feet rumbled through the convenient store and, within seconds, Inuyasha and Totosai were ripping past the flapping doors.

"SHUT THE DOOR, KAGOME!" Totosai roared but it was too late. Kagome heard it before she felt it… an explosion. The feeling of her body being hurtled backwards… the sensation of an out-of-body experience… the knowledge that she was not going to be part of the living any longer… it all filled her senses.

"KAGOME!"

Was the Totosai? Or the brooding asshole stranger, Inuyasha?

_Mom…_

Kagome was knocked unconscious as a fiery explosion ripped through the store. She didn't even experience the apparent sensation of 'life-flashing-before-eyes' as she faced certain death. The only thing she thought about was how her mother would be all alone, now that she was gone…

"Kagome?!"

Her name echoed through her consciousness before darkness consumed her very entity.

_Mom…_

* * *

**This story is also published as** Cohort: Legacy of Lex **on Wattpadd and Inkitt, under the pseudonym Emme Ahsain. If you want to enjoy the story as it is meant to be read, a tale between Aylin and Lex, then head on over and read the original character version.**


	2. II

The sound of a rhythmic beep filled Kagome's ears before she opened her eyes. Groggy, with her body throbbing in areas she didn't even know existed, Kagome tried to sit up but stopped immediately when she felt a hot searing pain shoot up her right forearm. Glancing down, she noticed that her right arm was swathed and her index and middle fingers were bandaged together. Her left arm was connected to an IV drip, but otherwise seemed relatively unscathed.

Kagome rested her head back on the lumpy hospital pillow and studied the ceiling—she knew _exactly_ where she was: Goshinboku General Hospital. She provided free yoga lessons for long-term patients at the hospital on Sundays, so she was familiar with the architecture of the building.

_But why am I in a hospital?_

The last thing she remembered was being hurtled back in a wicked explosion. Her world blacked out not long after…

_And now I'm awake in a hospital… what about Totosai!_ Panic began to tighten her chest. _And that guy… Inuyasha…_

Before Kagome could get another thought in, the door to the room swung open and two nurses along with the doctor rushed in. They immediately stopped short when they saw that Kagome was conscious.

"You're awake! I'm so glad," Kagome recognized the nurse that was speaking. She frequented the yoga studio – Ayame Kage. "You probably panicked and the heart monitor picked up on it."

"How're you feeling, Kagome?" Her eyes flickered to the doctor, a tall and lean individual. His soft brown eyes were behind a pair of silver rimmed glasses, and his salt-and-pepper goatee matched the messy mop of hair on his head.

"Everything hurts." Her voice was raspy. Ayame ushered to the other nurse, a woman Kagome didn't recognize, to get a glass of water. She ran off with haste as Ayame began to read Kagome's charts and jot down all updates.

"I would expect everything to hurt," the doctor approached Kagome and smiled warmly, giving her an unexpected fuzzy feeling; as if she were hugging a teddy bear. "I'm Dr. Hiromi… your friend, Totosai Pairo, brought you in three nights ago. Seems like the Cohorts were in a tussle with another crime organization… the only casualty was Totosai's store."

Kagome couldn't help but frown. _There wasn't a fight though… one second I saw that ugly dwarf thing, and the next the store was exploding._

She didn't want to voice her thoughts to Dr. Hiromi, though. Something wasn't sitting right with her regarding the whole situation, and she wanted to talk to Totosai first. Kagome didn't want to uselessly involve other members of the community before she knew the full story.

And she believed that Totosai knew more about the situation than he led on… _he knew that Inuyasha guy… and if he was involved with the explosion, then Totosai has to be involved somehow._

It was deductive reasoning that Kagome hoped actually deduced something.

"Did Totosai have a friend with him?" Kagome asked and Dr. Hiromi frowned.

"Did he… I don't believe so? I wasn't there when you were admitted, but the nurses only disclosed that Totosai dropped you off."

"And how is he?"

"Made it out without a scratch. Luck was on his side."

_But the explosion was everywhere._ The hearth of confusion in her heart was stoked. Something _definitely_ wasn't right, and none of what the doctor said was making sense. She _knew_ she was blown back and she _knew_ a giant ball of fire hurtled in her direction. How did Totosai Pairo not have a scratch… and where was the stranger with the gunshot wound?

_Inuyasha…_

The unknown nurse came back with a bottle of water that Kagome gladly accepted. With the help of Ayame, Kagome sat up and guzzled the contents of the whole water bottle. Once sated, she dropped the empty bottle beside her and exhaled loudly. Despite just waking up, exhaustion was creeping in.

"Get some rest," Dr. Hiromi ordered. "If you need anything, push the red button."

Kagome looked over to the wall behind her and saw there was a control panel of four buttons, two yellow, one green and one red. A wire wound out of the control panel and the red switch also had a remote control that was fastened to her hospital bed.

Kagome looked back over to the three professionals and nodded. With a tip of his head, Dr. Hiromi shuffled to leave the room, with Ayame and the other nurse hot on his heels. Dr. Hiromi and Ayame left without so much as a look back, but the other nurse hesitated at the door before turning around. Kagome, who was watching them leave, locked her eyes with the nurse.

"Inuyasha came too." The nurse whispered and Kagome's eyes widened. "He brought you here with Totosai and left before you were admitted. He couldn't get to you on time, so he saved Totosai instead…"

"Who are—"

"I've already said enough; please don't start lurking in a world that isn't yours. Lady Luck has blessed you, Kagome, please don't tempt her." Before Kagome could respond, the nurse left with a click of the door behind her. Shocked, Kagome simply stared at the white door. Her mind was reeling, racing a mile a minute, but she couldn't make any sense of anything.

_What the __**hell**__ is going on?!_

* * *

With no track of time, Kagome fell asleep. She had members of the community pop by every so often to check on her, as Kagome had no family that lived in town. The only person that shared her bloodline was her mother, hundreds of kilometres away. A mother that no longer had a grasp on reality…

Her sleep was dreamless.

Restless.

The dream _felt _like how she did when the convenient store exploded, but the images of what happened did not flash through her mind's eye. It was as if her mind was already locking away the horrific accident as a coping mechanism. But the feeling of death… feeling of helplessness… _it's all so real._

Deep in slumber, Kagome was unaware of when the door to her hospital room creaked open and a stranger with stark ochre eyes walked in. His movements were calculated, and his footfalls quiet. The door clicked shut behind him as he manoeuvred around the hospital bed to come to a halt beside Kagome. He studied her face for a brief moment before pulling the visitor chair forward and flipping it around so that he was sitting on it backwards.

_"__Wake."_

A single whisper.

Yet it was enough to stir Kagome. Inuyasha's eyes were unblinking as Kagome returned to consciousness, taking a moment to blink the sleep away. As she yawned, Kagome glanced around the room, her yawn becoming a shriek when her eyes landed on Inuyasha, clothed in all black with the exception of a white undershirt peeking from behind the neckline of the hoodie he wore.

"How goes it, Kagome?"

The whisky-esque voice. Kagome studied him, only for a moment, before tearing her gaze away from him. Kagome opted to study the palms of her hands instead. They were resting atop the rough hospital blanket.

"What happened at Totosai's store?"

"Already jumping into business?" His voice sounded amused, but his expressed said otherwise. "Let's focus on you first: how are _you_ doing?"

"Banged up, but alive." She looked at him. "How am I alive?"

He shrugged one shoulder. "Perhaps luck was on your side?"

_I am getting very tired of people saying that luck is on my side._ It was as if they were implying a guardian angel was enveloping Kagome with their wings—something like that could not be true. _Luck_ wasn't on Kagome's side. If it was, she wouldn't be in a hospital bed for an indefinite period of time.

"What happened at Totosai's store." Kagome repeated, but didn't phrase it as a question. It was a statement.

A demand.

Inuyasha cocked an eyebrow. "My, my." He tutted, sounding amused. "You were, unfortunately, caught in a messy crossfire."

Kagome gasped. "The Cohort?"

Inuyasha nodded once. "There's a reason it is ill-advised to be outside past sundown. You never know what they might be up to."

"I wasn't outside."

Inuyasha said nothing as he stood up, returning the chair to where it originally was. "Focus your energy on recovering, Kagome. Perhaps you will be lucky enough to not cross paths with me again."

She was stricken mute, unable to retort as Inuyasha left her small private hospital room. _Who is he really?_ Kagome used her left arm to pull the rough blanket up to her chin. _It wasn't a random encounter… he meant to be at Totosai's store… and he meant to visit me tonight._

_But why?_

* * *

Kagome was in the hospital for three more nights before she was discharged. Sango, her good friend and co-worker, was enlisted to help her with the discharge process. Kagome was instructed to maintain bedrest for a week and Sango volunteered to stay with Kagome for the entire time, ensuring that she ate, slept, and went to the bathroom when required.

Of course Kagome disagreed, saying she was more than capable of taking care of herself. Nurse Ayame, however, quickly intervened and told Sango that her suggestion was _wonderful_ and that nobody should pay Kagome's pleas any heed.

Needless to say, Kagome was less than amused.

Sango helped Kagome into the passenger seat of her '99 Toyota Corolla before shuffling over to the driver seat, slamming the door just on her way in. Kagome stared out of the windshield, her mind blank and her emotions unrecognizable. She _hadn't_ felt like her usual self since she woke up in the hospital. Ayame told her that it was because of her accident, and that a therapist would be in touch with her shorty after discharge to help her with the healing process. While Kagome wanted to deny the opportunity, she kept her mouth shut.

_Maybe I do need to speak to somebody._

After that single time, Inuyasha never returned to visit her and Totosai hadn't visited her _at all_. Kagome found that rather peculiar—Totosai Pairo was everybody's father, and reached out to anybody in the community that needed help. It was unusual that he didn't reach out to _her_ and he was present at the time of her unnatural accident.

_Forget it. There is more to this than meets the eye and if it really is about the Cohorts, I don't want to be any more involved than I presently am._

"KAGOME!"

"Huh?!"

Kagome looked over at her friend that was trying to glance between watching the road in front of her and Kagome. Sango's eyebrows were furrowed which caused Kagome's own eyebrows to shoot up.

"Why're you yelling?"

"Haven't you heard a single thing I've said?"

"… clearly not."

Sango rolled her eyes. "I was _saying_, after getting you set up on the pull-out in your living room, I'll grab some groceries and make you a snack. I have to run by the studio… Ayumi forgot her keys so I have to lock up with her tonight before sundown."

Ayumi was a cute new hire at the studio.

"You don't have to…"

"Oh, shut your face, will you?" Sango snorted. "I know I don't _have_ to. But I want to. Understand?"

Reluctantly, Kagome nodded. "Yeah, fine. Sure. I understand."

"Good. Now! What do you want to eat tonight? I found this new souvlaki recipe and—"

Kagome tuned Sango out and turned to look out of the passenger window. She couldn't help but feel _hollow_. Something was missing within her since the accident, and Kagome couldn't put a finger on what it was…

* * *

True to her words, Sango tucked Kagome in, prepared her a giant bowl of homemade nachos with oozing cheddar and mozzarella cheese and pulled pork. Kagome's mouth was watering by the time Sango set it down on the bed beside her, complete with a bottle of sparkling water and an autobiography of Kagome's favourite actress.

"Marry me?" Kagome playfully plead as Sango grabbed the TV remote and put it down on the breakfast-in-bed table that had the food strategically placed on it.

"No can do baby," Sango winked playfully at Kagome. "I'm a one-man-woman."

"Miroku is lucky."

At the name of her fiancé's name, Sango couldn't help but blush. She was hopelessly in love with the man, and she had been for _years_. Kagome found it adorable, and teased her friend at any moment's chance.

"Okay! You have my number, call me! I'll be an hour or so?"

"No worries." Kagome watched Sango leave, the door remaining unlocked behind her. Kagome lived in a secured apartment building with twenty-four hour security, so she never worried about locking her front door unless it was for the night. In fact, most of the residents left their doors unlocked—Goshinboku was already a tight-knit community, so the residents of the building all knew each other very well.

Opting to read instead of watching TV, Kagome flipped open the book and began to drink the words on the pages. She watched TV for the past six days while she lay in her hospital bed, so she was thankful for the change of entertainment.

The minutes turned to hours and, before Kagome knew it, she fell fast asleep.

* * *

It was the same dream.

Darkness.

Restless.

But the sensation of _death_.

_"Wake."_

Kagome gasped as she shot awake, her eyes snapping open and her heart racing uncontrollably. She searched the room frantically, not knowing what she was looking for, but immediately stopped when her eyes locked with his.

"Inuyasha!" She blurted out before she could stop herself. His lips curled into a half smirk.

"You were having a nightmare?"

Her eyes narrowed. "How did you get in? You didn't buzz me!"

"Kaede-baba held the door open for me." He ran his fingers through his unruly hair, and it was only then Kagome noticed that he was wearing a fitted navy shirt, his wounded arm wrapped with bandage. "Nice lady."

Kagome ignored him. "You were watching me sleep? That's not creepy at all."

"Sarcasm doesn't suit you." His eyes remained expressionless. "I just walked in. Mayhap me closing the door woke you?"

_I know that didn't wake me._ Kagome was a heavy sleeper, _nothing_ could possibly wake her up.

"You have a visitor."

Kagome's eyebrows furrowed. "Who? And where is Sango?!"

"Your friend? Ahh, class ran late and she wasn't able to leave before sundown." He shrugged nonchalantly. "Unlike somebody else I know, she heeds the warnings of the Cohort and stayed indoors."

Kagome chose to ignore the first part of his quip. "How do you possibly _know_ all this?!"

She was watching the stranger standing in her apartment, her heart racing both from fear and nervousness. His actions were intentional, she knew that, but she had no idea what his intentions were. At the hospital a few days ago, he told her that she better hope that their paths never crossed again.

But there he was, crossing her path _intentionally_.

_He's psychotic!_

"Kagome?"

Her eyes widened when she saw the face behind the voice. "Totosai?!" She breathed, seeing Totosai walk in to her apartment, his face reflecting sympathy and apology.

"What the hell is going on?" Although she wanted to sound authoritative, Kagome's voice was nothing more than a squeak.

"Sit, Totosai." Inuyasha ushered to the pouf tucked beside the sofa-bed. Totosai glanced in his direction before pulling the straw-brown pouf out and sitting on it. "We have some explaining to do."

"Yes, you do." Kagome mumbled, watching Inuyasha stride over to the bed and pick up a nacho. What she _wanted_ to say was 'I didn't invite you to eat my food', but she didn't. He obviously was somebody that tangoed with danger and death, and she wanted no part of that dance.

"What you saw that day…" Totosai began, unsure of what to say. Inuyasha, who still stood at the foot of the bed, flicked his gaze between Totosai and Kagome before intercepting and taking over the conversation.

"What you saw was the start of a dangerous war between the Cohorts and their enemies."

Totosai stood up. "Inuyasha!"

"You can't pussyfoot around, Totosai! She's involved now."

"She won't be if you don't fucking tell her everything!"

"Miroku knows about her."

"Damn Miroku to hell, I don't _care_ what he knows. I've raised the boy and I will damn well end him if I have to!"

Kagome's eyes were ping ponging between the verbal combatants before she interrupted. "Can somebody please just tell me what the hell is happening? If I'm not supposed to know, then get the hell out and don't come back!"

Inuyasha and Totosai stopped and both turned to look at Kagome. Totosai's eyes softened.

"Kagome."

"Enough!" Kagome shifted, trying to get comfortable but finding it difficult to do so. "You!" She shot her gaze at Inuyasha. "Told me not to cross paths with you, so please don't walk into my apartment and force them to cross. And _you_!" She glared at Totosai. "I was _blown up_ in your store and you didn't bother to come visit me in the hospital. _Now_ you're in my apartment arguing with the dude that's probably _responsible_ for my state about whether I should know something or not? How about ask me?" Inuyasha was watched amusedly as Kagome was practically foaming at the mouth. Totosai, however, lowered his eyes in shame.

"I **don't** want to know." Kagome sounded as authoritative as she felt. "I don't care to know. This is about the Cohorts, so leave me out of this, please! The last thing I need is one of their leaders come and kill me because _I know too much_."

Inuyasha let out a snort. "Unfortunately, lady, the leaders _do_ know about you. You looked death in the eyes that day and _all_ of our leaders know about you. Thus, you're involved through association."

Kagome paused. "What do you mean _our_…"

Totosai made a sound between a groan and screech. Inuyasha glanced at him for a brief second before turning back to the wildly confused woman resting on her sofa-bed.

"A lot of members of your community are involved with the Cohort, Miss Higurashi." Kagome frowned, wondering how he knew her last name. "People you never thought that would be. It would be best if our paths never crossed again, but I was sent here to let you know that you are involved with us now… whether you like it or not."

"Kagome…" Totosai croaked but Inuyasha shot him a look.

"What do you—"

"Be careful." Inuyasha ushered at Totosai to stand up, but the older gentleman didn't pay him any heed. "Look both ways before you cross the street and stay indoors after sundown."

Totosai looked like he was fighting an inner battle. Kagome's jaw was slack, but watched the two men nonetheless.

"Unfortunately you're involved now," Totosai whispered. "So sunup or sundown… it won't matter for you."

Kagome felt her heart ram against her ribs. "What do you…"

"You're one of us." Inuyasha whispered, his eyes remaining devoid of any emotion. Kagome hadn't realized she started crying until the hot tears began streaming down her face.

"I'm sorry." Totosai whispered, finally standing up. "I tried to stop them. That's why I didn't visit."

Kagome's throat was tight. She couldn't reply.

"Save it, Totosai." Inuyasha murmured. "Let's go."

Kagome, even if she wanted to, couldn't call them back. She watched as Totosai gave her one last look before shutting the door behind him and Inuyasha. It was then the dam broke and she threw her head back, howling in grief and pain. What did all of that mean for her…?

_What does it all mean for mom?_


End file.
